Washing machine



Feb. 24, 1925.

A. HORMEL WASHING MACHINE' Filed Jan. 14, .192x

lNVENTOR Illlnllllll.

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 24, 1925.

UNrrxEln' sra-res@ AUGUST HORMEL, OF JERSEY CITY, NEWVJERSEY;

WASHING MACHINE.

Application lcdfanuary 14, 1924. SerialNo. 686,033.

ToaZZ whom t may conce/m: f

Be 1t known that I, AUGUST HORMEL, a

citizen of the United States, and a 'resident4v which the rubbing operation in' washing clothes ischarged from a reciprocating mo'- tion on a stationary rubbing element'tol a mere pressing or holding off'the clothes inv contact with a rot'atingforrevolving rnbL bingf'surface, preferably comprising arol tating disc having radial corrugations, thus greatly reducing the manual energy necessarily employed in the said `rubbing operation.

Another object of my invention is the production of a washing machinewhichl `will embody a substantially flatl frame or rubbing board havingmounted thereon-Va rotating rubbing-element and a self-contained power-unit for rotating the rubbing element also mounted on said board so as to produce a self-contained and compact unitary structure.

Another object of my invention is to produce a washing machine of the type specified of extremely simple `construction which may be manufactured and sold at a low cost and which is durable and not likely to get out of order.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the combination of members and arrangement of parts so combined as to co-act and cooperate with each other in the performance of the functions and the accomplishment of the results herein contemplated, and comprises in one of its adaptations the species or preferred form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a power actuated washing machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a. longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of my bea-ring frame with the rubbing element removed.

Referring now to these drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of Vmy invention, 1 indicates a Washing machine which, inthe embodiment shown, comprises an'elongated flat frame or board*l intended to be supported in a wash-tub in the usual linclined positionand having side rails `or stiles 2-2a connected together at' the top end by a transverse member 3. The lower ends of the stiles form legs2"--2C for the frame cr board and inA the embodiment shown the transverse member 3 'is provided withfa depressed soap retaining 'groove 4l and a clothes-guiding surface 5, which inv the'embodiment shown' is flat and uncorrugated. Suitably mounted between the frame members or stiles 214-2L` in.- termediate the ends thereof and having its top Surface substantially flush. with: the surface 'of clothes-guiding surface 5 'is a rotatable rubbing element con'iprising a flat discV 6-` having a roughened or corrugated rubbing `surface 7 and, as shown, having corrugatio-ns 7a extending radially of thedisc. This rotatablel rubbing element is preferablymounted "iny a depression below the upper surface of the board `so that the` corrugated rubbing surface 7 will, as aforesaid, be substantially flush with the guiding surface 5.

In the embodiment shown, the rubbing disc 6 has a bearing bore 6a which fits over 4 a bearing pin 8 rotatably supported in a bearing 9 formed integrally in a bearingboX 1() provided with a depressed mounting chamber 102L having annular walls 11 closely surrounding the disc 6 and also having a marginal flange 12 extending completely around the rubbing element, and preferably having its top surface substantially flush and abutting with the guiding surface 5. In the said preferred embodiment shown, I locate within the mounting box 10 a gear preferably comprising a worm-gear for rotating the rubbing disc or plate 6. This gear comprises a worm-wheel 13 coaxial with the disc and, as shown, mounted on an intermediate portion 8a of the pin 8. The pin 8 is also preferably provided with a separating plate 8b extending between the bottom surface` 6b of the disc and the upper surface 13 of the worm wheel. The .disc is preferably detachably fastened to the worm wheel and bearing pin through said separator plate by screws 14. In the said preferred embodiment shown the disc is also preferably provided adjacent to its perimeter with an annular bearing track 6 which bears against rollers 15 mounted on the wall 1l of the bearing box 10. Said disc 6 also has a perimetal flange 6d extending radially beyond the annular track 6". This flange 6 extends over the L-shaped edge 1la of the depressed mounting chamber 10a. The worm-wheel 13 meshes with a worm 13"L on a longitudinally-extending shaft 16 mounted, as shown, in bearing brackets 17 in the mounting box 10. The shaft 16 may be rotated in any suitable manner or by any suitable power device, and as shown the said shaft 16 is connected to an electric motor 18 located at the Lipper end of the board between the soap depression 4- and the downwardly bent top edge or rail 1a of the said frame or board.

The motor is driven from any suitable source of power not shown.

In operation, the clothes to be rubbed are manually or in any other suitable manner held or pressed in contact with the rubbing surface of the rotating element which is continuously rotated by the motor. Obviously the surface of the clothes which is pressed against the rotating corrugations will be rubbed by such corrugations and the usual hard manual labor incident to reciprocating the clothes on the ordinary stationary rubbing surface of a wash-board is eliminated.

I-Iaving described my invention, I claim 1. A washing machine embodying a substantially flat frame having a depressed mounting chamber between the ends of said frame, a substantially flat rotatable rubbing element supported in said mounting cham ber comprising a disc having a rubbing surface, and means for rotating said element to enable the rubbing of clothes held in contact therewith.

2. A washing machine eml'iodying a substantially flat frame having a depressed mounting chamber between the ends of said frame1 a substantially flat rotatable rubbing element supported in said mountingl chamber comprising a disc having a rubbing surface, a worm gear for rotating said -disc and an electric motor mounted on the said frame for operating said worm gear to rotate the rubbing element.

3. A washing machine embodying a substantially fiat frame. having a depressed mounting chamber between the ends of said frame, a substantially flat rotatable rubbing element supported in said n'iount-ing chamber comprising a -disc having a rubbing surface, a worm mounted within said depressed chamber coaxially with said disc, a worm and worm shaft for rotating said worm wheel and an electric motor also mounted on said frame.

In Witness whereof, I have signed my name to the foregoing speciiication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AUGUST I-IORMEL.

Witnesses CHRISTIAN SCHEEBLE, JOSEPH F. OBRIEN. 

